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Daveed Diggs comes home to rap with kids at his adopted West Oakland school

Tony BravoMay 14, 2019Updated: May 15, 2019, 1:50 pm

Daveed Diggs hangs out with students before an assembly showcasing their performances at the Vincent Academy in Oakland on Monday, May 13. Diggs is an actor, producer, writer and rapper who was raised a few blocks away from the school and was brought in as part of a program with Turnaround Arts: California. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

The students of Vincent Academy in West Oakland aren’t old enough to have seen Daveed Diggs’ most celebrated works, like his Oakland-centric film “Blindspotting” or his turn as part of the original cast in the award-winning musical “Hamilton,” but these kids do recognize him.

As the 37-year-old actor-rapper-filmmaker walks through the elementary school Monday, May 13, students start calling out, “Hey, Daveed Diggs,” and, “It’s Daveed from the videos.” One first-grader stops Diggs and asks if he knows Elmo, the furry, red Muppet from “Sesame Street.” Diggs crouches his 6-foot frame slightly to make eye contact.

“I spent the whole day with Elmo,” he tells the student.

The boy is clearly impressed. Diggs is pleased he scored points with his audience. “I knew the day I did that it would be the most popular thing I ever do in my life,” he says of the “Sesame Street” appearance.

Diggs made 2018’s “Blindspotting” in the same neighborhood where the 3-year-old charter school for kindergarten to fifth grade is located, which was one of the factors that made it the right school for him to partner with as a part of Turnaround Arts: California. It’s also not far from where he grew up near 44th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

“I’m always looking to get involved in Oakland schools; when Turnaround approached me, it was exactly the right thing,” Diggs says. “I’ve been in education, I’ve worked as an arts educator for a lot of my life. I’ve witnessed the cutting of arts funding to schools, particularly for this age group. It’s nice to be back at a school in that way.”

Daveed Diggs sings and dances with students before an assembly showcasing their performances at Vincent Academy in Oakland. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Diggs adopted Vincent Academy at the beginning of this year as part of the program, which facilitates arts education to high-need schools by ensuring the arts are involved in the curriculum. The program also delivers art supplies and, sometimes, artists to these schools. Malissa Shriver, the co-founder of Turnaround Arts: California, says that as the program has evolved over the years, it has become not only about placing artists in the lowest performing schools, but also about placing artists with personal connections to the community whenever possible.

“It adds something for the artist, the community and the children,” Shriver says. “We try not to have them be a random drop-in; it’s about building the relationship. To have someone like Daveed come to your school who is part of that community is a life-affirming experience for a child and the staff.”

Because of Diggs’ busy schedule — he’s been filming the TV adaptation of the film “Snowpiercer” and appeared in the play “White Noise” in New York — Monday was his first visit to Vincent Academy, but he’s followed the school on Instagram and checked in with video messages to the students. It’s part of Diggs’ effort to remain connected to his Oakland roots personally (his family still lives in the area) and artistically.

Students Jairo Paredes (left), Mi’Kelanie Vickers and Nadia Brown dance with Daveed Diggs before a performance in an assembly at Vincent Academy. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

“I went to Berkeley High School and remember rappers who went there coming to just hang out — there was a model for these things,” Diggs says. “As those things disappear, you lose (arts) as an option.”

Diggs also talks about the necessity of the arts in expanding students’ worldviews and developing their capabilities for empathy. Performing, he says, is all about being “an empathy merchant.”

Daveed Diggs gets a hug from Sasha Cadillo after students performed in an assembly at Oakland’s Vincent Academy. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Diggs doesn’t have children, but he’s at ease with them. He tells the fifth-grade English class that when he worked on the film “Wonder,” his first movie role, he sought advice from the child actors on set because they were mostly seasoned pros. The story carries an extra connection for the students, who are reading “Wonder” in their class. He also admits to the students that he is a little nervous speaking to them, but that it’s OK to be nervous, as long as you’re authentic.

“You have no idea what a big deal that was,” says school Principal Monica Rasmussen. “For a kid to hear that Daveed Diggs is nervous is a big moment.”

After visiting a second-grade music class, Diggs is off to the big event of the day: the all-school assembly where students will be performing a number from the school musical and reading poetry. After the performances, Diggs takes questions.

How long has he been rapping? Since he was 13.

How old is he now? An old man, he jokes, 37.

How did he become an artist? By making art, he says.

Daveed Diggs speaks to students during an assembly showcasing their performances at the Vincent Academy. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Finally a student asks Diggs to rap:

“I’m from Oakland, that is where I was born,” Diggs raps, the students clapping the beat. “That is where I spent my days, that’s the norm. West Oakland sometimes, in the North too. Had family in the East so we were all cool. Every day out on 44th, MLK that was in the North … I couldn’t wait to get back home and start a career of my own. I realized arts was the thing for me, that’s when an artist I decided to be.”

Immediately after the visit, Diggs had to fly back to Los Angeles. He’s hopeful his schedule in the coming year will allow for more time at the school, but for now it’s back to work. His role with Turnaround, he says, feels like coming full circle.

“My access to the arts definitely changed my life,” says Diggs. “The Oakland that I grew up in is unrecognizable, but I’m glad these kids are getting to participate in art in the same way.”

Ms. Rhonda plays a song for students to sing and dance with guest Daveed Diggs before an assembly showcasing their performances at the Vincent Academy. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle